Chicago-based Jonathon Kirk traverses a variety of mediums for his musical output. Whether it's a chamber ensemble with live electronics or a rock outfit with a brass section, he finds a way to discover intriguing sound worlds through myriad formats. Discover seems like an appropriate word for his music, implying less of an acting upon of the sounds he uses and more of an observation of them. His awe-inspiring Lost Bird Environment, for instance, comes off as a natural sonic phenomenon that we happen to be witness to rather than a thoroughly composed piece of music.
This spirit of observation plays perfectly into Kirk's work as an installation artist. Check out his stunning collaboration with Lee Weisert in which the composer placed a series of microphones into bowls of frozen water, capturing the slow, solemn sound of ice melting:
Cryoacoustic Orb from PAML on Vimeo.